Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1359

My eyes opened.

At the same time, my stomach churned. The blurry vision was shaking wildly up and down.

‘Heo Baek.’

I was on the back of Heo Baek, the leader of the Dark Moon Unit. And the Honor Guard surrounded him, running.

Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes again.

Woo-woo-woong.

The Yellow Dragon Divine King Energy pulsed, giving vitality to his body.

The time he had lost consciousness was not long. But even in that time, the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art was rapidly restoring his body.

The bones that had been broken in the fight with Sa Mun-hyang, the skin and muscles that had been torn, and even the internal organs that had been damaged to the point of being ruined, were almost completely healed.

‘He’s not human.’

The higher the density of ki [internal energy], the greater the healing power.

However, excessively dense energy can destroy the human body with excessive healing power. If he hadn’t regained consciousness in time, the enormous energy of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art would have destroyed him from the extremities of his body.

‘Because he’s not human, he’s not perfect.’

Except for Sa Mun-hyang, he had reached a level that could be considered the best in the world, or even in history. Yeon Ho-jeong calmly acknowledged that ‘fact’.

But he was not perfect.

There is always a limit to humans. Yeon Ho-jeong had surpassed that limit while fighting Sa Mun-hyang.

Thanks to that, he had gained an enlightenment he shouldn’t have, and at the same time, the density of his ki had increased, but this power was a power that Yeon Ho-jeong could not handle.

To handle the power of a god with a human body? It was absurd.

‘So, did I get a chance to shed my shell?’

His master had said. The moment you place even a single point of unconsciousness under complete consciousness, you will be able to shed your human form and become a god.

It was true, but it was also wrong.

To be precise, if he did not become a god, he would inevitably face destruction at any time. The net of heaven, though it seems sparse, is dense and tough, and does not tolerate even a single heresy.

The heavens do not tolerate those who possess power not permitted in this world. It was the heavens that would cut them out of the world in some way.

In other words, his master and Sa Mun-hyang had not abandoned themselves, who had remained human until the end. Because they had lived for more than three hundred years.

They were beings who had one foot in the realm of the gods but also one foot in the realm of humans.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong now was definitely a being closer to a god than a human.

‘Perhaps my master knew it too.’

Yet, he respected his choice.

Yeon Ho-jeong could tell. That his master’s affection for him had not changed. The fact that he respected his choice even though he knew that was probably because of a trust that went beyond affection.

‘That’s true, but.’

Also, his master would have known.

That even if he threw off his human form in that way, he would regret that choice until the end. That he was a guy who was born that way, and a guy who could only move that way.

Even so, the reason he appeared in his dream was probably because he wanted his only disciple to find peace as soon as possible.

‘Even if I die, I hope to see you again… just once.’

Yeon Ho-jeong, having sorted out his thoughts, opened his mouth.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

Heo Baek’s eyes trembled.

“My Lord?!”

“I’m dizzy. I want to rest.”

“My Lord!!”

Pa-ba-bak!

Heo Baek and the entire Honor Guard stopped their movement techniques.

Heo Baek carefully lowered Yeon Ho-jeong.

“Are you alright?”

Yeon Ho-jeong turned his head.

His eyes, looking northeast, were still blurry.

The world was all hazy. Was that why? The mountains, rivers, trees, and even the sky and the earth all looked like one.

“I see.”

His vision gradually became clearer.

“That guy succeeded.”

The voice that came out of his dry lips was extremely dry.

It was a voice that did not convey any particular emotion. He had gained great power by reaching a higher level while facing Sa Mun-hyang, but it seemed that he had lost something in the process.

Han Jung-myeong knelt down.

“My Lord!”

The Honor Guard members also all knelt down and bowed their heads.

There were no particular words, but an absolute loyalty to their lord could be felt. They were blaming themselves for not being able to do anything properly even though their lord was in danger.

“Get up.”

The Honor Guard members slowly rose from their places.

Yeon Ho-jeong was still looking northeast.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Here it is.”

He emptied the water bottle that Heo Baek handed him in one gulp and took a deep breath.

“It’s stuffy. It feels like I’m breathing in a mud puddle.”

“……”

“Demonic energy… I’ve never felt this level of demonic energy anywhere.”

Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes.

“He’s amazing. His existence itself is evil, but I have to acknowledge the tenacity he has shown, enduring for hundreds of years to become the best.”

He had even managed to achieve his dream.

It was hard to express it all with the word ‘tenacity’. There would be no other human like Sa Mun-hyang in the world.

Yeon Ho-jeong recalled his master’s words.

‘Even I don’t know how his rebellious power will bloom. He could truly distort time and space like a blood jade, or he could turn the world into a sea of fire in an instant. On the contrary, his power might weaken, and if he handles it wrong, even his soul will be torn apart.’

Was that really the case?

‘My master knew it.’

The purity of this demonic energy that he felt now could not be compared to any energy belonging to nature. Even the Yellow Dragon Divine King Energy that Yeon Ho-jeong possessed was lower in purity than this demonic energy.

That was why Yeon Ho-jeong could tell.

‘He can turn the world into a sea of fire, but he can’t distort time and space.’

If the Yellow Dragon Divine King Energy had the same density as this demonic energy, would it be possible to travel through time and space?

Absolutely impossible. It could be said that it was because the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art followed the principles of nature, but when both good and evil reach their extremes, the boundaries disappear.

In other words, Sa Mun-hyang could not go back to the past or move to the future.

‘That’s good, and that’s terrible.’

What if Sa Mun-hyang, like himself, went back to the past and changed history?

Everything that Yeon Ho-jeong, and countless others who had been with him, had changed so far would return to nothing.

Even if that was okay, the real problem was that there was nothing they could do to counter it. It wasn’t like he was rampaging in another world, so how could they defeat someone who was changing history?

In that sense, it was fortunate that he could not distort time and space.

The problem was that Sa Mun-hyang’s terrible power could be fully unleashed in reality.

‘Just a fragment of the demonic energy he emits can turn an ordinary person into an incorrigible villain. It’s a power that can turn a first-rate master into a supreme demon in an instant. He can emit that demonic energy infinitely.’

Woo-woong.

The Yellow Dragon Energy raised its head.

Even as he was becoming increasingly numb to emotions, the Yellow Dragon Energy reacted sensitively to the demonic energy. The moment Yeon Ho-jeong’s thoughts and will recognized the demonic energy, the Yellow Dragon Energy was already pulsing.

‘Infinitely… yes, that damn bead can do that.’

Yeon Ho-jeong was aware of the existence of the Rebellious Heavenly Bead.

‘Sa Mun-hyang, do you know? You’re not controlling that bead.’

He probably didn’t know. No, he had no choice but not to know.

Sa Mun-hyang had received the Rebellious Heavenly Bead in the realm of a half-god. He was half-human.

‘He’s human. He has no choice but to be human. Because he was human, he was able to constantly burn with tenacity. But that’s why there are many things he doesn’t know.’

Yeon Ho-jeong felt a sense of bitterness.

Is it a blessing or a curse to be born human and become a being that is not human?

“…Whatever it is, it’s clear that the disaster he will spread will be beyond imagination.”

Heo Baek, Han Jung-myeong, and the Honor Guard members just stood silently. No one asked questions or expressed doubts about Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.

Yeon Ho-jeong did not pay any attention to his subordinates’ reactions.

‘Master.’

He recalled another statement from his master.

‘Completion is not something special. When you are completed as yourself, you will finally be able to be sure. That you can defeat Sa Mun-hyang.’

‘So, forget about the world for a while and complete yourself. Don’t be impatient because you don’t know how to complete yourself, but rest enough and look back on yourself.’

Yeon Ho-jeong thought about it. Could he defeat that guy in his current state?

‘I don’t know.’

Not knowing meant that he could not win.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have the confidence to win, but he wasn’t sure enough. His heart was like that, but he didn’t know much about his opponent.

‘If he’s a guy who emits this much demonic energy infinitely, he won’t get tired at any moment. The only good thing is that he can’t use this demonic energy, which is the extreme of rebellion, without limits.’

It was an inevitable part since he had a human body. He could tell that without even looking.

‘Still, I have to stop him.’

Yeon Ho-jeong did not forget his master’s words. He would not fight Sa Mun-hyang until he had completed himself.

However, he would not go back to a normal life, such as secluding himself somewhere to meditate or till the fields, in order to complete himself.

The answer was always within him. If so, it would be ideal for him to gain strength while living as himself.

Yeon Ho-jeong believed that without a doubt.

“You guys rest too.”

“Yes?”

“The main force of the main camp is coming here.”

“…!!”

“Gang Ryang and Jin Yang, and beyond them, Muk Bi and the Righteous Army are coming. It will take at least half a day, so rest well.”

“My Lord…”

“However, try not to move if possible and heal your bodies with internal energy cultivation. It may be difficult for you to feel it now, but soon the demonic energy will reach even this place. It’s good to keep your mind and body healthy in order not to be possessed by that demonic energy.”

It was an incomprehensible statement, but they did not bother to ask and sat down in their places and began internal energy cultivation. If Yeon Ho-jeong told them to jump into a fire with firewood on their backs, they were the kind of people who would follow him.

‘There are more people coming.’

The heavenly energy seeped in and whispered.

The person most deeply and strongly connected to him by fate under the net of heaven, his blood relative, was coming here.

‘Ji-pyeong.’

He could see it, and he could see it again.

‘Father is heading to Shandong.’

He thought that was like his father. He was a wise man, so he wouldn’t fight an enemy that was hard to deal with, but his sense of chivalry was too outstanding to ignore the common people shedding tears of blood.

In that way, everyone was moving in their own positions, according to their own personalities, and according to what they wanted.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had closed his eyes and was immersed in meditation, opened his eyes at some point due to the presence of people felt from afar.

“Brother!”

“Young Master Yeon!”

Reliable connections were approaching with faces full of sincere concern and joy.

It was three of the Five Great Generals, the Black Imperial Star’s forces, and the Righteous Army.

‘They’ve decreased a lot.’

The Righteous Army had also lost dozens of soldiers, but the Black Imperial Star’s forces had decreased even more.

Yeon Ho-jeong felt deep sadness at that fact, but it wasn’t as painful as it used to be.

And he felt an enormous sense of disgust for himself.

Sreuk.

The Honor Guard and Heo Baek, who had regained their senses, stood as if they were guarding Yeon Ho-jeong.

“It’s been a while.”

Again, and again.

The leaders of the Black Imperial Star gathered.